The present invention relates to a ball throwing machine. Many ball throwing devices have been developed over the years. Almost all baseball or softball players are familiar with pitching machines that are used in batting practice. These machines take the place of the pitcher, throwing balls in the limited area of the strike zone. When teams are practicing their fielding skills, a coach typically stands at home plate and attempts to hit ground balls to the infielders with a bat. While the coach is hitting balls to the infielders, he cannot be personally working with his players. There are some ball-throwing machines that can throw balls in a wide variety of directions and are computer controlled. However, these machines are complicated, are not intended for use with baseballs, and are too expensive to be usable by most baseball teams. It would be desirable to provide an inexpensive ball throwing machine that could take the place of the batter in baseball practice, throwing practice ground balls to the infielders as part of defensive practice drills for baseball or softball players.